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Lab-Grown Kidneys Transplanted to Animals

For the first time, Japanese researchers have successfully grown a pair of kidneys in a lab and then transplanted them into animals. The organs functioned just fine, and this gives big hopes for the transplants ultimately moving to humans.

Researchers create a new material from 1 billion tiny magnets which mimics ice, water and steam

Scientists working at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) have created a very specific type of material from over 1 billion magnets placed in a specific configuration. Astonishingly, its magnetic properties now change with temperature, just like water can be liquid, solid and gaseous based on temperature.

Scientists achieve quantum teleportation over 100 km

A group of scientists working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has managed to successfully transfer information from on proton to another one 100 kilometers away (60 miles). This could ultimately lead not to actual teleportation, but rather to unhackable conversations.

For the first time, National Geographic wants you to shoot the next cover

For the first time, National Geographic magazine is inviting its readers to submit their photos on the Your Shot section and decide the next cover. The winning photo, chosen by National Geographic Traveler magazine editors, will appear on the cover of the December 2015/January 2016 issue, which will feature the annual “Best of the World” list. Here are […]

365 million year old trilobites show first signs of molting

Trilobites were some of the most dominant creatures on the face of the planet, thriving from the mid Cambrian 521 million years ago to the start of the Mesozoic, 250 million years ago. Paleontologists have now found the earliest evidence for molting - a trilobite shedding its skin 365 million years ago.

Watch these drones build a rope bridge that's safe to walk on

Drones are often feared as instruments of destruction, and as John Oliver pointed out, in some parts of the world, people fear blue skies because that’s when the drones strike. But this technology isn’t only used to destroy – it can also be used to create, as demonstrated by these very efficient quadrocopters building a rope […]

AI passes math test like an average high-school student

Researchers from the University of Washington and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) have developed a computer software that scored 49% on high-school geometry SAT tests - an average score for a human, but a great one for current AIs.

This underwater bridge between Sweden and Denmark will blow your mind

The Øresund bridge is a wonder of engineering, and one of the coolest engineering accomplishments on the planet.

New research reveals the origins of the Polish "vampires"

Middle Age Europe was a place ruled by superstition and mythical beliefs - at least some parts of it were. Now, researchers are trying to figure out what made some people in Poland believe there was an 'outbreak of vampires' in the 17th and 18th century.

Scientists find the earliest creature to stand tall on four legs

About 260 million years ago, this pre-reptile might not have looked like much. With its knobby face and about as big as a cow, Bunostegos akokanensis was actually pretty remarkable. According to a new analysis, it was actually the first creature to walk upright on all four legs, maintaining a fully erect gate.

Troll A - The tallest moved structure in the world

The tallest structure ever built by mankind on Earth is actually an oil rig - Troll A.

In 2017, Norway will become the first country to shut down FM radio

The Norwegian Ministry of Culture has finalized a transition date from Frequency Modulation (FM) radio to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio. They will thus become the first country in the world to switch completely from FM radio.

Antidepressant Paxil, thought to be safe, proven unsafe for teenagers

Fourteen years ago, a leading drug maker conducted a study which concluded that Paxil, an antidepressant, was effective and safe for teenagers. But now, a major medical journal published an analysis concluded the opposite.

Is going nuclear the key for more sustainable energy?

The world is at an extremely dangerous crossroads: if we keep using non-renewable hydrocarbons and coal the way we have, we'll be rising global temperatures to a point where the consequences are extremely dire, but in many parts of the world, renewable energy is simply not cheap enough, and people don't want to pay for it. Faced with this conundrum, we may have an unexpected ally that could solve our problems: nuclear energy.

The IgNobel Awards 2015: What all the buzz is about

It’s the science that makes you laugh, and then makes you think. It’s a tradition not nearly as established as the Nobel awards, and not nearly as reputable – since 1991, some of the planet’s best and most creative researchers have gathered each year to celebrate and appreciate the most ridiculous scientific discoveries which could […]

Global warming lets mosquitoes thrive in the Arctic, threatening wildlife

The Arctic is overrun with giant mosquitoes: larger, furrier versions of the mosquitoes we all know and hate. As temperatures in the Arctic continue to rise, these mosquitoes can not only brood for a longer period of time, but they can survive more, in higher numbers. According to a new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences this is a major problem, and one that will continue to grow as the planet gets hotter.

Antibacterial soap is no better at killing germs than regular soap

Regular soap is really good at killing bacteria, but most people feel that antibacterial soaps are even better. After all, they're antibacterial, right? Well, according to a thorough research, that's not true at all - regular soap works just as good as antibacterial soap.

Trio of individually ineffective drugs efficiently kills MRSA in mice

A research team has demonstrated the effectiveness of a 3-antibiotic cocktail that kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, in all mice that were treated with it.

Scientists find the world's largest volcanic hotspot track

Scientists have discovered the longest chain of continental volcanoes in the world, stretching almost 2000 km (1200 miles) on Australia's coast. The volcanic track includes 15 volcanoes formed over 30 million years ago.

Wolves are better than dogs at solving problems, study finds

An experiment has found that domestic dogs have lost some of their problem solving abilities, and wolves currently do a much better job than them. In her paper published in the journal Biology Letters, they describe this result, and also offer a possible explanation.

8.3 Magnitude Earthquake strikes Chile

A massive 8.3 magnitude Earthquake struck the northern coast of Chile on Wednesday night, killing at least five people and causing buildings to sway in the capital city of Santiago. Following the earthquake, waves of up to 4.5 meters were reported in some areas of the coast. About one million people were evacuated.

Exxon's own scientists confirmed climate change - back in the 70s!

As a new investigation showed today, the scientists of the biggest oil company in the world, Exxon Mobil knew about climate change back in the 70s - but they still helped block the Kyoto protocol in the 90s, and invest massive amounts of money into climate skepticism propaganda. Today, 9 out of 10 funded climate change deniers can be linked to Exxon.

Tuna and mackerel populations suffer disastrous 74% population decline

According to a new report by the WWF, we're very close to losing fish species that are not only important for their ecosystems, but that are vital to our food security. The main culprit, as it usually happens, is humans: we've almost wiped out tuna and mackerel through overfishing.

Scientists engineer yeast that creates active marijuana compound, THC

Scientists have genetically modified yeast to produce the main psychoactive substance in marijuana, THC. Responsible for most of weed's effects (including the high), THC can also be used for medical purposes, to treat symptoms of HIV infection and chemotherapy.

This simple code can increase your smartphone battery life by 16% - and yes, it's free

Researchers at Purdue University in the US have developed a new tool for Android users that could increase your battery life by 16%.

Paralyzed man becomes the first person to feel physical sensations through a prosthetic hand directly connected to his brain

A 28-year old who has been paralyzed for more than a decade following a spinal cord injury has become the first person to be able to “feel” physical sensations, through a special prosthetic developed by DARPA – the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a US agency responsible for the development of emerging technologies, mostly for military purposes. The […]

Crops farmed by leafcutter ants show signs of domestication: Leafcutter ants became farmers 50 million years before humans

Leafcutter ants in South America grow fungus as crops, this has been known for quite a while. But their crops show clear signs of domestication, which means that when it comes to farming, the ants might have beaten us by some 50 million years. Ant farmers When people started growing crops, they unwittingly made changes […]

Laughing all the way to the bedroom: here's why women like men who make them laugh

They say that if you want to conquer a woman's heart, you first have to make her laugh, and the science seems to agree with that. A new study found that the more a man makes a woman laugh, the more the chances of a long term relationship grew.

Historians document the first use of the F-word

An English historian has come across the "F word" in a court case dating back to 1310, making it the earliest reference to the swear word. Dr Paul Booth of Keele University found the name ‘Roger Fuckebythenavele’ as he was documenting the trial.

California's snowpack hasn't been this low since the 1500s

According to a new study published in Nature Climate Change, the snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains has reached the lowest levels in the past 500 years, underscoring the severe drought that is already affecting the state.

Temari Balls: Mixing Mathematics with Beautiful Art

Temari (手まり?) balls are an ancient form of art that originated in China and got was introduced to Japan around the 7th century A.D., where it became very popular.

A simple way to quantify climate change: the ratio of hot to cold records

The world is heating up, that's no longer up for debate, but there are many ways through which we can discuss how much the planet has warmed. You can calculate global averages, chart rising levels, discuss freak weather events, but that's all difficult to understand and sometimes debatable.

An Amazonian tribe is defending their forests from illegal loggers with bow and arrow

Motivated by the love for their native lands and armed with bows, arrows, GPS trackers and camera traps, an indigenous community in northern Brazil is fighting to achieve what officials couldn't - stop illegal logging in their part of the Amazon.

Incredibly active galaxy cluster creates 800 stars every year

The gargantuan cluster is 9.8 billion light years away from us, houses at least 27 galaxies and has a combined mass equal to 400 trillion Suns.

Antarctic Ocean Sucks Down More and More Greenhouse Gases, But It's Still Not Enough

The Antarctic Ocean has been sucking more and more carbon dioxide - and this is both good news and bad news. For the Ocean's inhabitants, it's bad news because it increases acidity, which is extremely harmful; for everyone else, it's good news, because it mitigates the effects of climate change.

Algorithm turns photos into specific style of painting

German researchers from the University of Tubingen have devised an algorithm that analyzes a painting and then applies that style of painting to any desired picture. The results were recently published in a paper entitled, A Neural Algorithm of Artistic Style by Leon A. Gatys, Alexander S. Ecker and Matthias Bethge, and the results are simply spectacular: […]

Brilliant GIF shows how Humans, Birds and Insects Breathe

Three different ways to breathe: Mammals, birds and insects breathe in different ways, as exemplified above. Humans, as mammals, inhale by moving the diaphragm to lower the air pressure in the chest cavity and pull air into the lungs. The human chest cavity is always at a lower pressure than the outside environment. Birds on […]

Homeopathy conference ends in chaos after everyone gets high on hallucinogenic drug

Almost 30 delegates were rushed to a hospital in Germany, suffering from hallucinations and cramps. The "alternative medicine conference" went astray when delegates took a hallucinogenic drug somewhat related to LSD (2C-E - Aquarust in Germany).

Ancient shoulders point to our ape past

A new study shows that evolution's burden is distinctly visible on our shoulders - literally. Our shoulders are surprisingly similar to those of orangutans, as opposed to those of our closest relatives, chimp. This may have an important significance on our evolution.

GeoPicture of the Week: Pangaea with today's borders

Today's Spain was close to Greenland, Tibet and Australia were neighbors, and Africa and South America were closely hugging - as can be roughly seen from today's coastline. This image shows that the Earth is not a static rock - but an active and mobile system.

33 AwesomeFactory GIFs to Satisfy Your Inner Engineer

We all have a hobby. Reddit user’s -rico hobby is collecting factory GIFs. You know, the ‘How it’s Made’ kind of GIFs, the one that show how our day to day products are created? I’ve taken some from his list, found some more online, and here they are: Icecream Pretzels (several variations) Pretzels are often made by hand, […]

A broken well has been leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico for 10 years

It's one of those things that sounds almost too surreal to be true: for more than a decade, a broken well has been continuously leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico. According to the Associated Press, Taylor Energy, the an independent American oil company responsible for the spill, agreed to make a $300,000 donation to a Louisiana marine research consortium — to purchase vessels, electronics and other equipment — as well as fund $100,000 worth of research into the ecological effects of long-term oil leaks in the Gulf.

California passes law banning ivory to protect endangered animals

Lawmakers from the state of California have passed a law banning the sale of all ivory and rhinoceros horn products in the state. The move was made in an attempt to protect the critically endangered species which are being hunted massively. All ivory owners have until July 1 to get rid of all their products, after […]

Gigantic Straw Dinosaurs are Taking over Japan!

When life gives you wara (rice straw), make... wara dinosaurs!

Crystallizing books - the spectacular art of Alexis Arnold

We see this too often – loads and loads of discarded books in storage rooms, on the sidewalk, even in our homes. Abandoned books are a much too common sight, and at least to me, a depressing sight. This inspired San Francisco-based artist Alexis Arnold to embark on a fascinating quest to make something beautiful – crystallized […]

GeoPicture of the Week: The Chocolate Hills

These brownish hills are actually limestone mounds in Bohol province in the Philippines. They are normally covered by grass, but turn a deep-brown colour during the dry season, looking more and more chocolatey. There are about 1,500 mounds in the Philippines; similar karst mounts exist in Croatia and Slovenia, northern Puerto Rico, and Pinar del Río Province, Cuba […]

Devastating photos of the world's deforestation

Recently, we wrote an article about the biggest tree census ever conducted, and the results were pretty grim. Sure, there are some 3 trillion trees on Earth, but the bad news is that there used to be almost twice as many – before humans chipped in. Humanity has cut down 46% of the planet’s trees, […]

Introducing: The Journal of Proposals, Ideas, Data, and More

There are so many scientific journals out there, it's almost impossible for a newcomer to draw attention; but this one does. Research Ideas and Outcomes, or RIO is not only a new journal, it's a new type of journal: it will not only publish articles, but also proposals, experimental designs, data and software. They're open access and cover "research from all stages of the research cycle", according to a press release they've released.

LHC signals hint at flaws in the Standard Model of Physics

An intriguing signal reported at the LHC might signal some "cracks" in the Standard Model - the theory which describes how different forces interact with each other.

Chimp took down drone with careful planning

Calm and calculated - a chimp at a Dutch zoo took down a drone, squashing it with a tree branch. That's pretty interesting (and a bit sad, if you're the drone owner), but according to a paper published in the journal Primates, it may have more significance than it seems. According to the publishers, the chimp carefully planned the attack, just like a human would.
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